How many hours of sleep do you really need? The honest overview

The famous 8 hours are a rule of thumb – not a rule. How much sleep you really need depends on your age, your activity level and above all on your sleep quality.
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Wie viele Stunden Schlaf brauchst du wirklich? Der ehrliche Überblick

"You need 8 hours of sleep." Is that really true? The answer is: mostly, yes. But the 8 hours are just an average across all adults, not an individual target. Some people get by fine on 6 hours, others need 9. And the number of hours is only half the story anyway. What really counts is the quality of those hours.

Sleep recommendations by age

The National Sleep Foundation publishes these guidelines, which are recognised internationally:

Age group Recommended sleep per night
Infants (4 to 11 months) 12 to 15 hours
Toddlers (1 to 2 years) 11 to 14 hours
School-age children (6 to 13 years) 9 to 11 hours
Teenagers (14 to 17 years) 8 to 10 hours
Adults (18 to 64 years) 7 to 9 hours
Older adults (65 and over) 7 to 8 hours

Important: these are guidelines with individual tolerance. If you feel fresh and focused after 6.5 hours, you're not sleep-deprived, even if the table suggests 7 hours.

Why quality matters more than duration

10 hours on a sagging mattress are less restful than 7 hours on an ergonomic one. The reason: real recovery only happens during the deep sleep phases. Growth hormones are released, muscles repair themselves, the brain sorts through memories. If you keep waking up because of tension or pressure points, you never get into the deep phases in the first place.

In other words: 8 hours in bed minus 90 minutes of waking periods leaves 6.5 hours of actual sleep. If only 30% of that is deep sleep, that's just over 2 hours of restorative sleep. Tight.

Sleep phases briefly explained

One sleep cycle lasts approx. 90 minutes. You go through 4 to 6 of them per night, each with:

  • Light sleep: transition phase, easy to wake up from
  • Deep sleep: physical recovery, muscle regeneration
  • REM sleep: dreams, mental processing

Deep sleep is strongest in the first 3 to 4 hours of the night. REM increases towards morning. If you regularly wake up before your alarm and feel shattered, you're often losing REM sleep, which can affect your concentration throughout the day.

Athletes need more

If you train hard, you need more sleep, and above all more deep sleep. During this phase, the growth hormone HGH is released, which is responsible for muscle regeneration. Studies on athletes show that even 30 minutes of extra sleep can measurably improve reaction time, strength performance and speed of recovery. More on this in our separate article How to improve your recovery for good.

How to tell if you're getting enough sleep

Honest indicators, no app needed:

  • You wake up before your alarm and feel awake
  • No afternoon slump between 1 and 3 pm
  • You don't need an espresso to think clearly
  • You don't get tired on long car journeys
  • Your concentration lasts the whole working day

If three of these points regularly don't apply, you're not sleeping enough. Either too short or too restlessly.

What your mattress has to do with it

If you theoretically spend 8 hours in bed and still get up tired, it's rarely down to the number of hours. More often it's the quality of your sleep. A mattress that doesn't support your back robs you of deep sleep. You don't fully wake up, but your body can't slip into the restorative phase. You don't notice it directly at night, but in the morning and at midday.

If you've been tired for weeks even though you spend enough hours in bed, your mattress is one of the first things you should check. An ergonomic 7-zone mattress with the right firmness can noticeably improve your share of deep sleep. See also Which mattress for back pain.

When to see a doctor

If you regularly need more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, wake up more than twice a night and can't get back to sleep, snore and nod off uncontrollably during the day, that needs medical clarification. Sleep apnoea and insomnia can be treated well, but not with a new mattress. A new mattress won't help here. What does help: a sleep clinic consultation.

Test risk-free whether your mattress is robbing you of sleep

If you still get up feeling drained after 8 hours in bed, it's time for a test. At BeSports you can try any mattress at home with a 100-night sleep trial. That's 100 nights of real comparison, not a 5-minute lie-down test in a furniture store.

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Choose your mattress

Find the perfect balance for your sleep.

HERO

HERO

Maximum comfort. Every night.
MOVE

MOVE

For the highest standards.
LITE

LITE

Your balance. Your sleep.
CORE

CORE

Spring power for every night.
COMFORT LAYER
Airflex hybrid foam
Airflex hybrid foam
Airflex hybrid foam
Airflex topper layer
CORE TECHNOLOGY
Cold foam core
Cold foam core
Cold foam core
7-zone pocket spring core
HEIGHT
Approx. 20 cm
Approx. 21 cm
Approx. 16 cm
Approx. 20 cm
SUPPORT ZONES
7 zones
7 zones
7 zones
7 zones
BREATHABILITY
PRESSURE RELIEF
TEMPERATURE REGULATION
COVER
Removable & washable at 60 °C
Summer & winter side + washable at 60 °C
Removable & washable at 60 °C
Removable & washable at 60 °C
GUARANTEE
10 years
10 years
10 years
10 years
PRICE
From €189
From €179
From €109
From €165
All mattresses are delivered free of charge. Including a 100-night sleep trial.
View HERO
View MOVE
View LITE
View CORE

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Frequently asked questions & answers

What matters most before you buy

Here you will find all the relevant information about our mattress range.

Cold foam mattresses are among the most popular types of mattress, as they offer a balanced combination of comfort, ergonomics and durability. The open-cell foam adapts precisely to the body while supporting a healthy sleeping posture. Its high breathability also ensures a pleasant sleep climate – in summer as well as in winter. If you are looking for a versatile mattress that suits almost every sleeping position, a high-quality cold foam mattress is an excellent choice.

The HERO, LITE & MOVE mattresses were developed for back, side and stomach sleepers. Thanks to the ergonomic zoning, shoulders, pelvis and spine can be supported optimally. Side sleepers benefit from good pressure relief in the shoulder area, back sleepers from stable support for the spine and stomach sleepers from a balanced posture. This also makes the mattress ideal for people who often change their sleeping position during the night.

Airflex® technology was developed to support the body as precisely as possible. The special structure of the cold foam creates numerous contact points that distribute pressure evenly while ensuring pleasant air circulation. As a result, the mattress feels neither too hard nor too soft, but adapts perfectly to your individual body contours. The result is a comfortable feel with a high level of ergonomics.

With normal use, a high-quality cold foam mattress can retain its ergonomic properties for many years. The key factors are the quality of the foam, the workmanship and regular care. If the mattress is turned regularly and the cover is washed according to the care instructions, it stays hygienic and comfortable. A good mattress is therefore a long-term investment in healthy sleep.

Yes. The high-quality cold foam core was developed for high dimensional stability and provides reliable support even under heavier loads. Thanks to its robust material structure, the mattress keeps its shape for a long time and loses only minimal elasticity even with daily use. This makes it suitable for a wide range of body weights and ensures lasting sleeping comfort.

No. Modern cold foam mattresses have an open-cell structure that allows continuous air circulation. This means moisture can be wicked away faster than with many conventional foams. Combined with a breathable cover, this creates a pleasant sleep climate that reduces heat build-up and noticeably improves sleeping comfort.

Your body regenerates while you sleep. An ergonomic mattress supports the natural shape of the spine and reduces pressure points on the shoulders, back and hips. This allows muscles to relax better and relieves the spine evenly. As a result, many people experience noticeably greater sleeping comfort and wake up more refreshed.

To help the mattress retain its properties for as long as possible, it is a good idea to turn it regularly and clean the cover according to the care instructions. A washable cover also contributes to a hygienic sleeping environment. In addition, the mattress should be used on a suitable slatted bed base so that air can circulate freely and moisture is reliably carried away.

The HERO focuses on high-quality materials, modern sleep technology and durable workmanship. Instead of paying for elaborate marketing campaigns or middlemen, you invest directly in the quality of your mattress. That way, you get premium sleeping comfort at a fair price without compromising on ergonomics or workmanship.

The right firmness level depends on your body weight, your preferred sleeping position and your personal sense of comfort. As a rule of thumb, lighter people often prefer softer firmness levels, while heavier people benefit from firmer support. Many modern mattresses – like the HERO – offer two firmness levels in one mattress. Simply turn it over to adapt the feel to your individual needs and decide for yourself which side gives you the best sleeping comfort.